Contribution to the question of probe diagnostics of plasma at medium pressures

The applicability of the theory of the drain of electrons to a probe (or the kinetic theory) for determining the characteristics of plasma at medium pressures under different experimental conditions is analyzed. It is shown that in a number of situations this theory results in very significant errors. One reason for the observed discrepancies between the computational results and the measurements could be the electric field which maintains the discharge in the plasma.